Flora of North America species comparison

predominantly basal, grasslike;

blade often prominently keeled or V-shaped;

cauline leaves widely spaced, progressively reduced distally, intergrading with floral bracts.

borne singly, arising from top of bulb, 25–99 cm, sometimes with 1–3(–5) shorter, ascending branches;

scape and branches becoming hollow and brittle.

racemose, with flowers (10–)24–65(–78) per 10 cm of raceme.

perianth at anthesis closed (not exposing stamens) or partially to fully open (partially or fully exposing stamens);

tepals 6, persistent, withering and shriveling to base, distinct, pure white, yellowish or greenish white, or purplish black, narrowly lanceolate to oblong-lanceolate, sometimes each with greenish, yellowish, or purplish central vein, 4–12 mm, often with flattened, triangular apex covered adaxially with minute, glandular hairs;

stamens 6;

filaments dimorphic, 4–8 mm, 3 longer and with dehisced anthers at anthesis, 3 shorter and with undehisced anthers, all becoming equal after anthesis;

ovary superior, ± sessile, 3-lobed, globose, ovules 2 per locule;

placentation axile;

style 1;

stigma distinctly 3-lobed;

pedicel 2–3 mm.

capsular, broadly 3-lobed, ellipsoid to ellipsoid-ovoid, slightly constricted 1/3 from apex.

gray-green to black or yellowish brown, fusiform, usually flattened adaxially;

coat rough, reticulate.

solitary, ovoid to ellipsoid, fleshy, with densely packed lunate scales, vein remnants sometimes persisting as blackish, fibrous tunics;

no rootstocks or vertical rhizomes.

= 26, 27.